Tag Archives: Thistle

Scotia’s “Thistle”

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

Inevitably, a 127 year-old challenge from Glasgow, Scotland to New York, USA for yachting’s Holy Grail, the America’s Cup, has left lingering family memories and mementoes. It was a big deal, as it would be now, and is still within … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, archives, Baltic Germany, Big Class, book, Captains, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, Martin Black, object of desire, photography, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Order of the Thistle

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

It continues to be the America’s Cup silly season: the void between the last, enthralling episode, and the next; wherever it may be; in whatever boats… And crew nationality has raised its head. Last year’s ‘American’ defender, Oracle Team USA, … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, book, Captains, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., Glasgow, naval architect, object of desire, shipbuilding, Steam Yacht, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Martin Black wins the John Leather Award for Special Achievement at the 2014 Classic Boat Awards

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

Martin Black, author of  G.L. Watson – The Art and Science of Yacht Design, was tonight presented with the John Leather Award for Special Achievement at the 2014 Classic Boat Magazine Awards event in Mayfair, London. It’s the first time … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, art, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, book, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Glasgow, leather-bound, Lifeboat, limited edition, Martin Black, object of desire, photography, River Clyde, RNLI, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, tank testing, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

America’s Cup history

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

G.L. Watson designed four America’s Cup challengers: Thistle (1887), Valkyrie II (1893), Valkyrie III (1895) and Shamrock II (1901). Sadly they don’t feature as moving images in the Gary Jobson AC History series below. It was just too early for … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, film, G.L. Watson, Martin Black, object of desire, tank testing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Silver Goose

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

German yachtsman Oliver Berking runs his family’s 139-year-old high-end silversmith business from the traditional-boat capital of Baltic Germany, Flensburg. Now he is brazing his inherited flair for creating exquisite objects of desire to the world of classic yachts – on … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, art, Baltic Germany, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, G.L. Watson, object of desire, replica | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Skulduggery Pleasant

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

Charles Paine Burgess, University of Glasgow educated naval architect and aeronautic engineer – designer of the revolutionary aluminium rig for the 1930 (13th Cup match) J-Class America’s Cup defender Enterprise – and brother of America’s Cup designer Starling Burgess,  once … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, Irish yachting, other yacht designers, River Clyde, shipyards, tank testing, yacht design, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Oldest G.L. Watson Yacht?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Peggy Bawn Press

One of the most remarkable – not least by virtue of being the oldest known – of the scarce fleet of surviving yachts from yacht designer G.L. Watson’s lifetime is the 27ft gaff cutter Spartan. She is in the care … Continue reading →

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